Dragon Rider
by Mysterious-Vixen
Summary: After escaping marriage proposal, Princess Elizabeth helps a Dragon Rider to uncover a mystery that threatens the Kingdom.
1. Chapter 1

**Dragon Rider**

Disclaimer: What? You want me to make a sing and dance about it? Don't own them!

Distribution: oh what the hell, take it but ask first!

Rating: well, to be on the safe side M.

Dedication: This is for my loyal readers, you guys rock!

Timeline: A mixture of the 17th centaury, 21st centaury and magic, you'll get what I mean when you read it.

Author Note1: been thinking about this for a couple of minutes and thought what the hey, lets write!

Author Note2: I made this really nice paint shop pro picture to this story, cause all these writers websites have them and I thought may as well make and guess what? I can't put it on here! Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!

So if you want to see it use the link here: http/img424.imageshack.us/full.php?imagepic28ij.jpg

* * *

The King narrowed his eyes at his daughter's answer; he had come all the way to her chambers in person instead of giving her a messenger to what he was asking of her. He was quite proud that she was the most beautiful and kindest of all the women in his Kingdom but in doing so she was very desirable too. Thinking of her safety he decided the only way he could think of protecting her... 

"What do you mean no?" The King asked.

"I mean no" she said calmly sitting in her chair while the King was sitting in his.

"Elizabeth, you are my daughter, my only daughter and the heir to the thrown before your brother" the King said "Putting you at risk"

"From what?" Elizabeth said "I can take care of myself better than any man here could and, unlike dear William, I don't make a fuss about it either"

"You are still the heir to the thrown!" the King said "The risk would be that you, my dear, would be used to make the Kingdom bow down to it's knees to get you back if you are captured"

"I know that Father, that's why I have been preparing for it but I still say no" Elizabeth said "Not even Mother would be happy about marriage to him"

"I love your mother dearly. She was the world to me and you, ever since you were born you have brought sunshine to our lives" the King said sympathetically "But she is dead Elizabeth and so it's down to me to know what's good for you"

"And marriage is the answer" she said angrily "Marriage to William, have you heard the rumours about him Father? They call him William the Bloody for all the victory's he's won for us it has all been a bloody massacre with no mercy upon anyone"

"And like all rumours they are rumours" the King said as he got up from his chair shaking his head in dismissal "Gossip, would be the death of this kingdom if everyone believed it" he took a deep breath as he watched the flames dancing in the fireplace "Elizabeth you've been courted many times in the past, suitors that would have made me proud if you have chosen them. General Riley, Prince Owen, Lord Scott...all worthy suitors and yet you dismissed them. As a father I went with my instincts and your mother's wishes, to let you chose your own husband through love" he turns back to face her, firelight was softening his grave" My instincts are now telling me that you should marry as soon as possible, I have received word from the east that there is something brewing there and it's heading in our direction"

"So marriage out of fear?" Elizabeth said thoughtfully.

"No, marriage for your safety" the King said as he walked up to her "Lord William is a good strong man and he shall take great care of you"

"And if I refuse?" Elizabeth asked "Disobey you?"

"Then you shall be stripped of your title and locked in the Tower" the King said nonchalantly, when she didn't reply he calmly said "I shall give you a day to think about it" he turns and leaves "Think carefully my dear, I don't want you to end up alone" with that he closed the door behind him. It was the last time he ever saw of her before she escaped.

* * *

Rupert Giles was the Inn keeper of the Fawn, an Inn that was in the heart of the Village Rosenberg. He was a gentleman to many of his customers and the people who knew him; though he made a scandal of marrying a gypsy and had a daughter with her he was quite a remarkable man. He always treated everyone in an equally kind fashion and taught some of the villager's children to read and write and a few how to defend themselves when attacked. With his wife he taught and kept the Inn going but what made him proud was his daughter natural ability to learn, though he encouraged her to go to university in the Capital of Chantrelle, Moonlight City and the home of the King. It was called Moonlight because when the moonlight hit it on the twelfth hour it became a brilliant white and anyone lost or needed a place to stay would easily find it since it was based around, on and in a mountain.

Sighing Giles turned a page of his book, he actually was the Librarian of the Castle and a dear friend of the Queen before she conceived her first child. Many nights she would turn to him when she needed help, but at her orders he had to leave. The King was getting jealous of their friendship and so he was in danger of getting his head removed and stuck on a spike. So on that fateful Autumn night he left, ironically he returned to her to say his goodbyes over her grave in Autumn.

He shut his book abruptly and placed it back into its place and for a moment he stared at the letters on it back. Vampyr. He came down a long line of Watchers but never in his life saw a demon or vampires, the only one in his family was his Grandmother. She told him when he was a little boy that at his age she saw a man turning into a giant demonic snake only to be stop by a slayer, a chosen one. _In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer_. A line he had remembered so well over the year and at that moment when the beast was destroyed, the demons, the vampires and all evil was sucked into a portal that was created from this 'ascension'. Everyone believed they were gone for good since the slayer's powers when to sleep and soon they forgot. But his grandmother never once believed that they were truly gone. Evil never dies and if it had they wouldn't have existed now, the balance of good and evil and all. So she taught the ways of the Watchers to her children and her grandchildren in hoping that if they came back they would be prepared. History became legend, legend became myth, it had been over a hundred years and still no word of them.

"I think I'm starting to believe my father about this Grandmother" Giles muttered as he left the study room and walked down the stairs" Maybe they have gone for good"

Walking down the stairs his thoughts went to his daughter and wife, they both believed him about the monsters that used to haunt the night since Jenny old gypsy clan would pass stories down about the creatures that took their families lives. It was a tradition and from tradition Jenny was teaching Willow the ways of magic, though he didn't approve of it Willow was just as powerful and skilful in magic as she is intelligent. Maybe it was a good idea for her to learn, at least in that was he wouldn't have to worry about her working in the bar with Tara.

He walked up to the old oak doors when he heard insistent knocking. Opening it he saw a petite blonde around the age Willow who had a duffle bag in one hand and a chestnut horse's reigns in the other. She looked like she had been living on the outlands for a long time with her clothes a bit on the dirty side and she looked tired and hungry.

"Can I help you?" Giles asked politely.

"Do you have a room for me to stay?" the girl asked, shivering slightly. It maybe the beginning of spring but it was still cold.

"I'm very sorry but no" Giles said.

"She could stay with me" Willow said as soon as she appeared, she heard the knocking too she was taking sympathy towards the girl "I don't mind"

"That would very kind of you but I won't feel right if I stay in your room" she said.

"How long are you planning to stay?" Willow asked.

"As long as I can" the girl said "I would like to have a job here in exchange for a room, food, water and a stable place for my horse it's not very much considering what I can do"

"And is it can you so?" Giles asked.

"From my experiences I can tack a horse up, cut wood up with a single axe, I'm a blacksmith, I can wash clothes, I also hunt and I do fishing too" she said confidently.

"All men's job" Giles said "Do you have any proof?"

He saw her sword poking out from under her cloak which she notice as well "I've been living on the outlands for a long time with my horse as my only company" gesturing to her sword why she kept that weapon about, outlanders could come along to try to steal from her, kill her or worse rape her if they tried "I can take care of myself and can do anything better than any man here could" she said politely

"And I heard you can use someone like me since you dismissed one of your workers"

"Yes Mr Parker was a bit...persistent" Giles said.

"Persistent! He tried to-" Willow cut herself off, it was night and cold and the guests were trying to sleep.

"We'd be glad to let you stay Ms...? I'm sorry I didn't catch your name" Giles said.

"My name Eliz-" she quickly coughed to cover her real name up "Buffy. Buffy Summers" she said.

* * *

"I hope you don't mind the couch" Willow said when she gave her a blanket and pillow.

Willow's bedroom was next Tara's in the attic, it was nice and spacious it was perfect for more that one person to sleep in. While Willow was taking Buffy to her room Giles was un-tacking Buffy's horse in the stables in good manners since Buffy was too tired to do it herself.

"Couch is good, trust me I've slept on worse" Buffy said.

"What's it like to live on the outlands?" Willow asked while Buffy stripped quickly down to nothing but a pair of shorts and a shirt.

"Not bad, but I won't recommended it this time of season" Buffy said truthfully as she sink into the warm couch, never in her life did she regret the smallest things that could make things a lot better.

"I thought it would be fun"

"It's not Willow, more along the lines of survival" Buffy said truthfully.

"Oh" Willow said as she lay down in her bed.

"Thanks again" Buffy said as she yawned but before she could rest her eyes sound of whale moaning mixed with a bear roaring could be heard outside "What the hell was that?"

The sound pierced the air again before Willow could identify it "I've never heard a dragon sing before"

"Dragon?" Buffy exclaimed in fear.

"Don't worry this ones got a marcach" Willow said "Saw it this morning"

"A what?" Buffy asked, hoping it wasn't a weapon of some sort.

"A marcach, it means rider in Gaelic" Willow amended.

"But I thought dragon riders were forbidden in Chantrelle" Buffy said.

"Not in these parts" Willow said "Besides they haven't bothered us so far and a dragon is a good thing"

"Why?" Buffy asked.

"It scares away the wolves that eat the livestock" Willow explained

* * *

It had been weeks since Buffy came to the Fawns Inn and true to her word she could do what she said she could do. She surprised everyone that she, a petite blonde, could move a hundred pound log from the forest over twenty miles to the villages without breaking her back or a sweat. She figured she got that strong because the Powers that Be felt sympathy for the loss of her mother. Probably true since she only noticed how strong she was when she began to punch the wall in anger that something she couldn't prevent had killed her mother. The hole she had caused was massive considering that was how she felt, falling through a bottomless hole at the time.

But Giles, Jenny, Willow and Tara never bothered her about her strength since they never see her in action because they were too busy themselves.

She heard the dragon sang again, listening to it sing made her almost happy. She couldn't understand it but the dragon there made everything better. Like Willow said she hadn't been in danger when collecting the logs or when she was hunting or fishing in the nearby lake.

She picked up her axe and began to cut the log for the fire, one of her last jobs in the evening. She had done some work on the horseshoe she mended for one of the guests in one hour, she went hunting for wild boar but they decided to hide, probably because of the dragon, that evening so she went to the market to get some pork and she was doing her last job of the day since no one was going out for a ride. Splinters went flying as she went on with her job.

Shwack.

Shwack.

Shwack.

Shwack.

Shwack.

Clonk.

That was all it took for the log to be cut in half, then quartered, then eighth and so on. Strength and accuarcy was the key to cutting and she had a lot of it. She looked over to the east and sees the last of the sun setting gently before the horizon swallows it up like it always did. Sighing Buffy chucks the pieces of logs into the wheelbarrow before she sets off back to the Inn. Setting the wheel barrow near the entrance of the kitchen she grabs a bucket, placed some of the logs into it and set off into the house.

"Here some logs Jenny" Buffy said as she fed the fire under the stove.

"Thank you Buffy" Jenny said as she magically prepared this evening meal for the guests and her family and the workers.

Buffy didn't mind the magic since she had witnessed it all the time when she was little. Walking through the kitchen, she plopped some logs into fire of the dinning room before she set off to the bar.

"Hey Will" Buffy said as she passed the Red head.

"Hey Buffy, finished already?" Willow asked as she finished pouring a drink for a customer.

"Yep" Buffy said as she chucked a few more logs into the fire.

"Good, you can help me and Tara around the bar" Willow said happily then gave the customer a warm smile as she handed him his beer.

"Thanks lass" he said with a wink.

"No probs" she winked back then went on to another customer.

Buffy sighed, she really wanted a nice warm bath but she guessed that would have to wait a while. Sliding over the bar, she placed on her apron and her bargirl smile as she went to serve.

"How can I help you?" she asked the man in front of her.

"Ah yes, erm, can I have a bottle of brandy and a glass please?" the man said.

"Sure you can" Buffy said was a kind smile, whips out a bottle of brandy and a glass.

"Thank you" he said as he paid her but before Buffy could move on he asked "Have you heard the news of Moonlight city?"

"No, what happened?" she asked, frowning at her old home.

"Apparently Princess Elizabeth had runaway with a man" he said.

"Really?" she said trying to disguise her fear and her laughter as she gripped her sword that was hidden under the work surface.

"I heard he was the stable boy" the bloke next to him said loudly.

"I thought she was locked up in the tower for not marrying Lord William" another said.

"Who would want to marry him? William the Bloody is suppose to be the most ruthless man in Chantrelle" a woman shouted in the back "Bedding women as he goes, it's no wonder why she ran away"

"Poor girl, he's nasty man he is" Willow agreed pouring a rum and gin in a cup "I hope she found a safe place to hide"

"How is the Prince taking it?" Buffy said casually.

"He seems to be fine about it, must of encourage her to run" the man said in front of her "Probably to take the thrown"

"Alexander would never do that!" Buffy blurted, quieting the bar instantly "I mean, he's a nice guy and he loves his sister very much and so he wouldn't have done that" with that there was a murmur of agreement.

Sighing in relief Buffy carried on with her job as the starry night covered the sky the crystals activated in the ceiling, stone crystals in this world were from Mount Galloway and were like light bulbs except they only activate when someone active comes in the room at night and deactivate when they are asleep or left the room. She worked on till the early hours of the morning.

"Right Ladies and Gentlemen Bar is closing now, so drink up or leave" Willow said as she closed up the bar with Tara.

As soon as the last customer either left the pub or went to bed Buffy rested her aching feet in the corner of the bar as she drank some lemonade while she relaxed. She placed her drink on the table after she took two long gulps, Jenny's homemade lemonade was delicious every time. Willow and Tara joined her as soon as they cleaned up.

"How much did we make tonight?" Buffy asked.

"About five gold, seven silvers and three bronzes" Willow said, there was annoying flicker of the crystals in the ceiling suddenly "Oh great, need to change the crystals"

There was a soft rumble in ground making the crystals in the ceiling flicker again and Buffy's lemonade to ripple, causing Buffy to stare at her drink.

"Willow I-I don't think th-that's the problem" Tara said nervously as she looked outside wondering just as they were what was going on.

There was another rumble and the entire light crystals in the village went out, the only remaining light there was were fire light. Buffy continued to watch her drink, as the rumble got louder the more violent the ripples became.

Rumble

Ripple

RUmble

RIpple

RUMble

RIPple

RUMBle

RIPPle

RUMBLe

RIPPLe

RUMBLE

RIPPLE

Something big was coming their way.

"What's going on?" Giles said as he came in with his wife behind him.

"I don't know" Willow whispered "Do you think it's the dragon"

"It's not" Tara said.

"How would you know" Buffy asked.

"Look outside" Tara said

"What the hell is that?" Buffy shouted through her whisper when they all crowded around the window Tara was peering through "It looks the devil had a kid with lava girl!"

Sure enough there was a creature that looked humanoid but had major differences, it had horns, cloven feet, yellow eyes and lava looking skin. Just like Buffy described it.

"There back" Giles gasped "The demons t-t-there back"

They watched this creature move into the Village square as everything shook beneath it's feet. Then when it came into the centre it stopped and began to speak.

"People of Rosenberg, I am the Beast and I given you two choices" the creature boomed across the village "You can either give me five of your purest virgins or you can be destroyed"

"You do not scare us" someone shouted.

"Then you are fools" the Beast said before it grabbed a piece from the fountain nearby and threw it at that very person, killing him in an instant.

Anger flared through Buffy as she grabbing her sword behind the bar and before Giles could stop her she stormed out of the door towards the creature. She didn't know what it was but something in her broke loose when the Beast killed the man, it was if she suppose to protect him or something.

"Hey! Rock Face!" Buffy shouted, as the Beast turned to her she sliced the sword across his "That can't be good" she commented of the lack of damage she made.

"Fool" the Beast growled before backed handed her away from him.

She landed with a thud, skidding backwards with the force. Her chin pulsed with pain, telling her it was going to be very swollen in the morning, she heard Willow gave out a sharp cry sending her back to her senses. Surprising the Beast and all the spectators she gets up and looks at the Beast defiantly at him.

"Was that suppose to hurt?" Buffy taunted, hiding the fact it really did.

"It was suppose to kill you" the Beast said looking at her carefully.

"Guess me and Death don't get along that well" Buffy said "Wanna try again?"

"Glad to" the Beast said and charged at her.

Barely having time to move Buffy jumped and rolled out of the way from the incoming mass. Rolling onto her feet she went instinctively to a fighting position so fluently it felt natural. An instinct that felt ancient and fresh at the same time.

"C'mon it's late and haven't got time-" she was suddenly thrown into the fountain, telling her the beast was a little faster than he appeared to be.

The water sprayed everywhere when she splashed into it. Pushing herself up, whipping her hair back so nothing would stop her from seeing, she realised she dropped her sword .

Guess I have to work with out it

The Beast was upon her again. She blocked, dodged and blocked again from his punches. She kicked into his groin to slow him only to see him stumble back but topple over in pain.

"So not right" she muttered as she went after him again.

She jumped up and double kicked him in the face, dodging another backhand she loose furry punches in the top of his abdomen. Suddenly the Beast wrapped its arms around her and began to crush her body. Her head whipped back in pain and she roared in frustration as she tried to free her body while protecting it at the same time. Through the corner of her eyes the Beast horns enticed. For some reason she knew if she ripped them off it would hurt, big time. But she needed to free her arms.

I need…I need…I need she repeated in her mind.

There was a roar and the Beast froze for a split second, it was if it feared something. Using the distraction Buffy used a sudden burst of strength to shove the arms away, grabbed the horns and ripped them off so quickly it was a shock to the Beast. The Beast abruptly roared in pain when he apprehended what had just happened only to be shut up by Buffy, using it's own horns as a weapons, ironic indeed.

Right, whack! Left, whack! Both, whack! She then kicked up into its chin as it stumbled backwards from the force and pain. She was mad, tired and very hungry for something for some reason. As soon as the Beast got its bearings it then kicked out and the power was so intense she was thrown into the air again with a broken rib. As she came down to meet earth again she watched the ground coming closer and closer in contact, only one thought went thought her head _this is going to hurt! _

But the pain never came as someone's strong hand gripped firmly on her wrist. She opened her eyes to see that everything was moving beneath her, especially the tops of the houses! She could help but stare at them before she was pulled up swiftly over a saddle that was being occupied. The saddle was strapped to something red, big, scaly and happened to have big leathery wings. Buffy also noticed it had two pairs of legs that had four equally sharp silver claws, she looked down this creatures long neck and saw on top of the neck it had a nice neat row of small spikey horns that disappeared underneath its equally spikey scaly head that looked like a cross between a cat, a wolf and a lizard of some sort.

Don't eat me! Buffy thought.

"C'mon girl, give him a nice little circle" someone said next to her, Buffy immediately assume it was the person that save her having a pancake face and was the rider too.

The creature shot up into the air forcing Buffy to grip onto the saddle, then as it dived down spilling a fiery encircle around the beast and shot back up. When they circled back Buffy saw the Beast couldn't move from his entrapment of the intense fire.

"Oh my goddess this is a dragon!" Buffy shouted.

"Wow you finally figured that out" the Rider said.

She turned her head to give a piece of her mind only to shut it. Even though it was dark she could see that Mr Tall, Dark and Handsome was smirking at her in the most sexiest way possible and she was practically sprawled over his lap and looked like a mess. Despite the embarrassment she realised that what she was hungry for and was it him as she watched his lips move.

Shaking herself out of her little daydream she asked "Can you repeat that again?"

"I said do you still have his horns?" he asked.

"Yeah why?" she asked as she showed him.

"The Beast can only be killed if a piece of himself is stabbed into him" the Rider explained.

"Be your own weakness, must be the new phase" Buffy joked.

The dragon landed gently into the square letting them hop off, well Buffy actually slid off while the Rider was doing the hopping. Before the Beast could react Buffy threw both of the horns into its abdomen. What surprise Buffy was that the Beast wasn't looking at her as it was dying and she trailed its direction of it's eye line to the Rider.

"Angel, you think that defeating me would end all of this?" the Beast said as his body crackle up with the light pouring of him "It has only begun"

The Beast shook with violent as the Rider grabbed Buffy and pulled her under the dragon's wing. There was an explosion and when the dragon lifted her wing up Buffy saw a huge crater of where the beast once was.

TBC…

* * *

Did you like it? Want me to continue? 


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: What? You want me to make a sing and dance about it? Don't own them!_

_Distribution: oh what the hell, take it but ask first!_

* * *

The creature shot up into the air forcing Buffy to grip onto the saddle, then as it dived down spilling a fiery encircle around the beast and shot back up. When they circled back, Buffy saw the Beast couldn't move from his entrapment of the intense fire. 

"Oh my goddess this is a dragon!" Buffy shouted.

"Wow you finally figured that out" the Rider said.

She turned her head to give a piece of her mind only to shut it. Even though it was dark, she could see that Mr Tall, Dark and Handsome was smirking at her in the most sexiest way possible and she was practically sprawled over his lap and looked like a mess. Despite the embarrassment she realised that what she was hungry for and was it him as she watched his lips move.

Shaking herself out of her little daydream she asked, "Can you repeat that again?"

"I said do you still have his horns?" he asked.

"Yeah why?" she asked as she showed him.

"The Beast can only be killed if a piece of himself is stabbed into him," the Rider explained.

"Be your own weakness, must be the new phase" Buffy joked.

The dragon landed gently into the square letting them hop off, well Buffy actually slid off while the Rider was doing the hopping. Before the Beast could react Buffy threw both of the horns into its abdomen. What surprise Buffy was that the Beast wasn't looking at her as it was dying and she trailed its direction of it's eye line to the Rider.

"Angel, you think that defeating me would end all of this?" the Beast said as his body crackle up with the light pouring of him "It has only begun"

The Beast shook with violent as the Rider grabbed Buffy and pulled her under the dragon's wing. There was an explosion and when the dragon lifted her wing up Buffy saw a huge crater of where the beast once was.

"What the hell was he on about?" Buffy demanded from the Rider "'It has only begun'? That to me is bad"

"More are coming" the Rider said simply "I suggest you watch over your people"

"These are not my people," Buffy said immediately "I just happen to live here"

He looked at her for a moment "You're an outlander?" he said sceptically.

"Well, yeah I just have job at the Inn" Buffy said.

"You don't smell like an outlander" he commented, dragon riders had very acute sense of smell and taste "Outlanders smell like apple, rum and grass, you my dear have a faint smell of jasmine and lilies and something else I can't put my finger on it"

"Oh how nice" Buffy said, trying to hide the fact that she was scared of being found out by him.

He just looked at her, really looked at her like she was something extraordinary yet a treasure worth to gaze with affection. Or at least what she thought why he looked at her, other than that she didn't want to know and it was making her dizzy. Very dizzy.

"Look, like you said…before more are…coming…" Buffy said as a wave of dizziness over came her and she fell into a pair of strong arms, to an unconscious darkness.

* * *

Buffy felt her mind rising out of the dark as she awoke, she was fully aware that the floor didn't feel soft or warm that's why when she awoke she was in her bedroom. As if by magic the pain she felt from the night before was gone and nothing ached. Groaning she pulled the covers to revealing that she was still wearing her cloths and that they were full of mud and she groan again, she didn't like being dirty. She got to her feet, stretching out her tired muscles she walked to her bathroom, moving quietly as she goes flashbacks to last night swam through her mind. 

Bracing herself on the sink, looking into the mirror into her eyes when she entered it. She didn't feel different, just the same as ever. Nothing in her eyes or face told her anything but she knew something was different when she fought the Beast. Remembering the Beast beating the crap out of her and vice versa she felt power surging through her veins. The power was ancient yet new at the same time, a beautiful contrast it was to be flowing through her body.

She felt strong.

She felt new.

She felt completed.

Shaking her head of the thought. How could she feel all that in one fight? It had to be adrenaline. Yes adrenaline, it was a rush to fight it and beat it. But she need help to beat the Beast thought bringing her attention to the Dragon and it's rider.

"Angel, you think that defeating me would end all of this?" the Beast said as his body crackle up with the light pouring of him "It has only begun"

"Angel" she whispered hazily remembering what the Beast said "So you're Angel" she looked down to her sink "Guess I'm going have to get reacquainted with you"

* * *

Buffy had sneaked out of her room through the window with her hunting clothing and gear and landed soundlessly on top of stables that happen to be there. She listen for any sound before she freefell off the stables and headed off uphill to the woods. She really didn't want to be bombarded with questions by Willow, Jenny and especially Giles, he was the one that actually called the Beast a demon. She didn't want to answer questions; she wanted to ask questions and quite frankly the dragon rider might know. Question was: where was he? 

"Dragons need a supply of food and water, this thing is huge so it needs to be concealed pretty well so somewhere away and high since this thing fly" Buffy muttered and the first thing came to her mind was the waterfall nearby the village "Oh it can't be that simple" she shook her head "Can it?"

Taking the route to waterfall it was a whole hour till she quickly smell something cooking and burnt stuff. She began to notice other things such as the trees on the side either cut into or had huge scratch marks. She saw remains of bones that looked like the remains of boars and other bits and pieces she didn't want to figure out what they were. She moved further and over a scorched tree and paused when she saw something on the leafy floor and picked it up, a red scale. It was nearby. Carrying on her route she saw other things such as scorch marks, huge patches of none leafy ground and footprints.

"Dragon landing spot" Buffy commented before carried on her quest to find it.

More landing spots, more upturned trees, more remains of animals made Buffy nervous, this thing was dangerous and it could probably rip her to shreds. Not to mention this thing was huge too so it probably could squish her like a bug.

"The rider, think about the rider" Buffy muttered, she thought about the rider and remembered how handsome he was and how much she wanted to- "Oh no wait don't think about anything"

She moved more silent yet faster when she heard the sound of the waterfall getting louder ahead of her. Her nerves began to fry as her heart beat speed up a bit. Swiftly she jogged up the hill and realised it was a cliff when she saw the sudden drop, so slowly she got to her knees and crawled to the edge. She looked across and saw the rocky waterfall flowing freely over the edge with the shrub holding for dear life on the walls as her eyes trailed down with the waterfall to the pool there. The water clear to show how deep it was with the rocks and someone swimming beneath the surface. Wait. The rider was swimming down there.

Oooo yummy Buffy mentally cursed herself as she watched him swim towards the edge _Hang on is he wearing any cloths? _her answer was when he stood up, walked, the water trickled down his muscular back from his short hair, revealing that no he wasn't_ Oh boy he's not _he walked over to his clothes that was on the rocks nearby_ okay now would be a good time to turn around, yep turn around now, now would be a good time to turn around, TURN AROUND GIRL!_ he stretched his muscles revealing how toned he was that made her want to feel each crafted muscle _Oh you bad man._

Buffy mentally cursed herself as she watched him swim towards the edge her answer was when he stood up, walked, the water trickled down his muscular back from his short hair, revealing that no he wasn'the walked over to his clothes that was on the rocks nearby he stretched his muscles revealing how toned he was that made her want to feel each crafted muscle 

She brought every ounce of self will she had and made herself to turn onto her back. She took several deep breaths as she closed her eyes and swallowed down all the moisture in her mouth. Never in her life did she want anything like she wanted him, she would have jumped into the water to either cool down or have him.

"You know you can come down"

Buffy rolled over back to her stomach to see him looking straight at her, fully clothed, smirking freely.

"You knew!" Buffy shouted echoing it around the waterfall

"Yeah baby, I could smell you" the rider said smugly "Jasmine and Lilies and that little extra of yours that makes your lovely scent so irresistible"

"Oh how nice" Buffy said as she walked near the edge of the cliff to were there was a path to.

"I wouldn't put it as nice" he said beneath he eyelashes.

"Than what would it be?" Buffy said halfway down the path, swallowing down her fear and carried on walking to him.

"I don't know if I should tell you" the rider said cocking his head in a playful manner, his dark mystifying eyes twinkled in mischief.

"Afraid that I'm some kind of little girl?" Buffy tentatively asked.

"Well I wouldn't call you a girl, more along the lines of a woman" he said.

"I'll take that as a complement" she said, not quite sure what to do with herself once she was levelled with him.

"You should" he said "Not everyday a someone beautiful comes along and has the power to stop something from happening"

"Great, you remember what happened last night" Buffy said, determined to get somewhere "Which by the way thanks for sticking around while I collapsed to the floor"

"Don't mention it" scoffed the rider.

"Anyway" Buffy ignored him "Like you said before more are coming" Buffy said, "I don't want them to reach Rosenberg since I like it"

"Well boohoo, if these things come to this village no one will survive" the Rider said "Not even you"

"Hey I kicked that thing's butt!" Buffy pointed out to him as she stood right in front of him.

"No, if I didn't come along your pretty head would have been popped off" the Rider said.

"No it wouldn't" Buffy argued back.

"Oh so he was hugging you then" he wryly said.

"No"

"Face it, your out of league here," the rider seriously said "this is the big bad world we live in and it's gonna get a whole lotta worse if I don't cut off these little beasties"

"You? What about me? That Beast hit me so hard I had a mini flying lessons, three times by the way and I still took it on" Buffy reminding him "I ripped it's frickin horns off and I bashed him with them like he was a piñata!" she crossed her arms in anger "What the hell dose it say about me"

"You may have the ability to take one on but if you had hundreds of them, your gonna have a problem" the rider said.

"And what about you? You really think you can take them on?" Buffy question him "Even with your dragon do you really think you could do it by yourself"

"I'll do what's necessary" he said.

"Oh come on! Stop with the self-righteous-one-man-mission crap!" Buffy said "Your not doing this alone and especially not without me"

"Tell me, how many fights have you been in?" the rider asked

"Um" Buffy looked away sheepishly.

"How long have you been trained?"

"Well-"

"So you never been in a fight and you've never been train, this is really brownie points you know" he said tartly.

"Really?" Buffy asked, the sarcasm lost on her.

"No, your lucky your not dead" the rider said "I suggest you go back home"

"Outlanders don't have homes" Buffy pointed out.

"But your not an outlander" he said.

"You can tell that by smell, right" Buffy said, remembering what he said to her "That doesn't prove anything, for all you know I could have been swimming in jasmine oils and whatever"

"Yes it dose" the rider said as a matter of factly "There's a difference in product scent and body scent" leaning against the rock that had his cloths on while he was swimming "product scent does not smell fresh compare to the body scent and even then there isn't traces of sweat or emotions" he shrugs "but that's my nose for you"

"So you've got a bloodhound nose" Buffy sarcastically "This is so great"

"Owning up to something?" he asked suggestively.

"No" Buffy said immediately.

"Well explain to me why you don't smell like a outlander?" he said "Cause quite frankly if I didn't know any better I would think you were a Duchess of some kind"

Buffy eyes widen in mistake and by the look of him he had caught it all with a slight twitch of an eyebrow he watched all of her reactions.

"You know I've passed a couple of cities, towns, villages just to get to this point and they all say the same thing so far" he said "That the Princess of Chantrelle ran away"

"Yeah heard that too" Buffy said flippantly.

"Do you know why?" the rider asked.

"No" Buffy said, suppress down her fear.

"Well something to do with marriage" he said "that's an extreme way of saying no"

"Maybe she didn't want to be controlled" Buffy said.

"Hmm fear of being dominated, very interesting" he said thoughtfully.

"Dominated? That's kinda strong for being 'controlled'" she said.

"Well that's what she would be if dear Lord William had his claws on her" he said "You wouldn't believe all the stories I've got on him"

"How bad are they?" she asked cautiously, she knew Lord William wasn't called William the Bloody for no reason.

"Bad to the bone" he said "He keeps his mad mistress in the attic and shag her once a week or when she's not wailing on about something"

"Oh dear god" Buffy exclaimed.

"That's actually one of the nicest things" the rider said almost looking like he was lost in a memory "But that's what I heard anyway" he looked directly into her eyes and for a moment there was silent "Look if you learn the basics of fighting within a week I will take you with me to Aurelius"

"Why one week?" Buffy asked.

"Have you notice something big, red and scaly missing?" he said.

Buffy realised she had been talking to him and forgot all about his pet "Your dragon, where did it go?"

"She went to find bigger game. Boars and deer can only suppress her hunger only for a while. They're basically snacks to her" he said.

"What is she getting" Buffy asked warily.

"Who knows? But she's not going for the livestock or humans if your wondering" he said "So she's going further to feed"

"So she won't be back for a week" Buffy said, some part of her wondered how a rider survived without it's dragon "If anyone finds out-"

"Don't worry lass, I can take care of myself" he said.

"Still, I wouldn't like it if you were by yourself. Not many people like dragons and dragon riders" Buffy insisted "I won't feel right if your left by own, someone could kill you"

Buffy saw something flash across his blank features, for a moment Buffy thought he looked touched that someone showed compassion towards him but as soon as it came it quickly left.

"Alright then" he said.

* * *

_Chapter 3 will be up soon, just hang on! oh and reviews, keep them coming!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: What? You want me to make a song and dance about it? Don't own them! God damn Mr Evil Joss Whedon!**

**Distribution: oh what the hell, take it but ask first!**

**Author note: Sorry about the lack of writing for this story but I had been thinking how I was going to play out this chapter to the next one.**

* * *

Buffy entered the Inn with the Rider behind her and immediately Willow froze with Tara at the bar. Taking the lead Buffy walked over to Willow and Tara, all the while being followed by him. Both barmaids eyes continuously flicked from Buffy to the Rider. What was going on?

"Buffy, what are you doing up?" Willow asked "I didn't even see you leave"

"I sneaked out of the window" Buffy said.

"You sneaked out of the window? I thought you had a twenty foot drop to stables form your room" Willow hissed worriedly "Where's your bruises?"

"I heal fast" Buffy said "and drops like those don't hurt me"

"Oh. So how are you?" Willow asked.

"I'm okay" Buffy said.

"What about you Angel?" Willow asked the rider.

Buffy eyebrows shot up, remembering the rider was called Angel as he answered "Yeah, fine"

"What about big red?" Willow asked about the dragon.

"She's fine" Angel said.

"Is that her name" Buffy asked.

"Code name" Angel said nonchalantly.

Buffy rolled her eyes at him. Who uses code names these days? But then again Dragon Riders have to be careful to not to expose themselves to the public since Dragons and Dragon Riders were banned to set foot in Chantrelle.

"So what are you doing back?" Willow asked.

"Buff wanted me to stick around while she prepares for the trip to Aurelius" Angel said.

"WHAT!" Willow screeched with Tara.

* * *

Sitting in the library Buffy was being lectured by Giles while Angel was shown around the Inn by Willow since Giles had offered him a couple of jobs. At that moment Buffy envied Angel that he didn't have an angry landlord/boss/surrogate father breathing down her neck.

"Do you realise how dangerous the Land of Aurelius is?" Giles asked.

"I do Giles" Buffy said "But I need to go"

"You barely survived that fight from the Beast and know you want to go to the place were it could have come from" Giles said "This is absolutely foolish, you know that? And dangerous! Dangerous because no one is heard of ever again when they enter the place!"

"Giles I need to go there, I have a feeling that I have to go there" Buffy said "But Angel won't let me go until I'm properly trained" Giles frowned slightly "And I know for a fact that you know something about demons and maybe more, because this is all to do with them. So, tell me"

For a moment there was silence from Giles, he didn't know how to start the truth to her. Did she know what she was? Did she feel it? The connection from a legacy of the strength passed down, defending those in need? Did she? So he started the way he could.

"In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer" Giles said only to have Buffy looking at him peculiar.

"What's a slayer?" Buffy asked

"Endowed with the strength, the speed, the skills to hunt the demons. One girl in the world destined to save and protect the world. Your destiny" Giles said.

"My destiny? I rather be destiny free really" Buffy said "See then I won't have to deal with it"

"Buffy with this you'll have to" Giles said sharply.

"Why? Destiny entitles being someone's puppet" Buffy said "And I don't want to be that"

"I don't know what lifestyle you had before Buffy, but if you don't come to terms with it"

"With what? If you haven't notice I had killed something big and rocky and not nice" Buffy said "Look, I don't want destiny. I hate destiny"

"The slayer before you placed every single demon in this realm in another, including the hybrids" Giles said calmly "In doing so she was no longer needed and so her powers left her so she would become a normal mortal. She was the last to be called. If you do the same then you can return to your normal state" he paused for a moment before he said "But for now you have to go with destiny. Your whole physical being has been enhanced for this"

"My whole physical being has been enhanced because my mother died" Buffy said "I've been this way since then"

"I'm sorry about your mother Buffy but you have to understand, the reason for you to be this way isn't your mother" Giles said "Your previousesser lost her powers when the demons left now because they're back so have the powers in the form of you, although it is strange that you have been chosen for this task"

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked.

"Well, they have been all kind of slayers from all different backgrounds but your previousesser was the Queen's great grandmother. I would have thought it would have been Princess Elizabeth calling" Giles said, missing Buffy's look as he began to go through his collection of demonology books.

"Thanks double G Granny" Buffy muttered.

"I'm sorry I didn't hear that" Giles said.

"I said 'Why the hell me?'" Buffy exclaimed, quickly lying and added for extra effort "I like my life now, I mean I want to find out why they're back put them back and carry on with my life and not have to deal with responsibility"

"If you want to put them back Buffy you'll need to be trained" Giles said.

"I know that Giles" Buffy said "So do you know anyone that can help me?"

"Yes" Giles said, pulling out a book.

"Good, who?" Buffy asked.

"Me"

"You?"

"Yes"

"You?"

"Yes Buffy" Giles said "You see, slayers need guidance in their calling and my grandmother trained me if the demons came back. She was a Watcher, so was her father and his father and his mother and so on. Watchers are those who guide the slayer in her duties of the chosen one"

"So…you're my Watcher?" Buffy said, raising her eyebrows at that.

"Yes, since the Council of Watchers no longer running I may as well be" Giles said "I don't need to tell you Buffy that I expect you to do your best when you train with me. Understand?"

"Yep" Buffy said "So, when do we start"

"Tomorrow" Giles said then handed the book in his hand.

The book clearly said 'Handbook for Slayers'. She looked at it before she looked at Giles.

"There's books" Buffy said looking in disbelief.

"A little homework" Giles said.

"There's homework? I have to do homework!" Buffy cried out in disgust.

"You may have fought the Beast and lived Buffy, but you still need to learn" Giles said "And, err, read"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence" Buffy drawled.

"What you have faced is only the beginning of our problems" Giles said.

"That's why I'm going with the rider to find out how much crap we're in" Buffy said.

* * *

Two Days later

The whole Village of Rosenberg were talking on how Jeff Pruitt died from that the Beast. Such a tragedy it was that he was crushed under one of the statues of the fountains, so as he was cremated the very next day and his ashes spilled in the rivers near by. But that wasn't what the villages were mainly talking about as Buffy passed them to her daily chores they would stop to either look at her or go up and hug her like there was no tomorrow. She was their protector and the Rider wasn't fairing out well either.

The villages would pester him to show the dragon or try and get everything out of him about his life and the land he came from etc. They called him Angel since he never gave out his name and because of his angelic yet mysterious look, it kept the women around the village drooling for him. In doing so he kept himself hidden in the Inn or in the kitchens were he out bested Jenny's cooking, it wasn't because he was afraid of women or gay, he just didn't like this amount attention. But he had noticed that while he had staying at the Inn Buffy had been avoiding him, so he went searching for why.

"So that's were you've been the whole time" Angel said "Working with the wood must be exciting" earning a blush from Buffy's cheeks.

She had been chopping a log into fire wood for the Inn before Angel came. She had been expecting him to be doing work and when he wasn't she was training with Giles. So evidently she had been avoiding him pretty well but he was no fool not to notice.

"What do you want?" Buffy asked, letting the axe rest against her side.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" he asked.

"I haven't" Buffy lied "Been busy"

"Huh, since I've been here you've been given less jobs to do" Angel said rolling his eyes "So how is the training between you and Mr Giles?"

"How the do you know about that?" she demanded.

"I can hear you and Mr Giles panting in your room," Angel said, watching her like a hawk.

"How would know if I'm training? I could be doing other things" Buffy blurted then turn red, closing her eyes "Did you get a bad imagery?"

"No" Angel smirked, then she began to chop the wood again "Since I really can't imagine you doing the dirty"

She froze just before she hit the log "Excuse me!" Buffy said, offended by that.

"Well, that's the truth babe" Angel smirked.

"I'm not a nun" Buffy annoyed threw the axe into a nearby tree "and I'm not a slut either" she turned around to face him.

"Nun, I can imagine. Slut, I can't" Angel said, though backing away from her he kept his cocky grin up.

"Oh really" Buffy said letting her spitfire side out, walking after him.

"Really" Angel said.

"So you can't see me doing 'the dirty', why?" she challenged him.

"Well for starters you're too much of a good girl and Mr Parker kept on asking how you were in the sack" Angel said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Buffy fumed at that. When she took over Parker's old job he kept on pestering her since she was fresh meat and she would always turn him down. Good thing too since what he tried to do to Willow.

"Why the hell did he ask you that?" she nearly yelled.

"Well first you and your body looks so wickedly delightful, who wouldn't want that by their side in bed?" Angel said with a shrug when he stopped walking backwards and so she did.

Buffy had to fight to show how surprise she was, she was small, a little skinny and she barely wore any feminine clothing because of her job and because of the outlands making sure no curves would be shown and her hair was constantly tied up in either a ponytail or a plait. She didn't wear makeup; she didn't have the time to put it on. What made her even more surprise was the fact Angel said it like he meant it, this totally wrong because he maybe handsome he was annoying too.

"Why else?" she asked crossing her arms to regain her composure.

"He had most of the women here" Angel said.

"Tell me something new" Buffy said as she raised an eyebrow at that.

"Well the Villagers think there's something going on between us" he said.

"Your making that up" Buffy said, backing away slightly.

"Why would I make something up? I'll only get a smack from you" Angel said.

"Hey I don't go for violence!"

"Keep on telling yourself that but the thing is you do and you just happen to be very crap at it" Angel said, seeing a spark going through her eyes he continued "Very very very crap at it actually, I mean a snail can pull a punch better than you but I guess the problem is that you are all _petite _and _blonde_. Too _delicate _for violence"

"I'll show you violence!" Buffy fumed.

She threw a fast punch in his face, knocking him back, she kicks his chest then jumps up and dose two scissor kicks in his face. As soon as she lands she dose a quick spin kick that turns into a spin punch then spin kick. Then Buffy tries to hit him again only to find he's holding the fist firmly in his hand.

"Nice" Angel said cheerfully "My turn"

He pulls her into him just as kicks out and lets go as soon as the force drives her backwards into a tree. She shook her head and couldn't help but notice lots of leaves were falling down because of that. Standing tall she spots a rake on the floor, kicks it up in the air she catches it perfectly in her hands. She ran towards him with the rake held high and makes a swipe…through air.

"Behind ya" Angel taunted.

Quick as lightning she turned and slammed the end of the rake in his gut before kicking up in his face. Twisted her body effortlessly she jumped and gave him a double kick spin that would make anyone jealous. Each blow hitting there target precisely as Giles had taught her and at that moment she made a promise to the watcher that if she came out of this whole Aurelius thing alive she was going to buy him a present he'll never forget. She made another swipe this time connecting to something but only the sound of ripped clothing could be heard. At that moment she stopped. She didn't want to kill him just show him not to mess with her. Angel looked at her before he looked at the damage. Only his clothes were torn, not his flesh.

"Getting frisky are we Buff?" Angel said his eyes twinkled.

"Pervert!" Buffy shouted.

She made another swipe to hit him only to have the rake caught by his firm hand.

"Cheater" Angel said.

He made a lighting strike smack of the rake against her causing her to let go of it. He spin it around his hand professionally before throwing it away, like it wasn't useful. Running at full speed Buffy jumped and soared into the air at him. He pulled her down with him as he fell backwards onto a pile of leaves with her straddling him. Just as she was about to pull back a fist and hit him she felt something cold and sharp against her neck. She didn't see him pull out his boot knife to her delicate throat. She froze at moment and slowly looked into his eyes.  
The annoying twinkle in his eyes was gone and replaced by something she thought she would never see. His eyes turned into dark lusty pools of warm chocolate that made her want to swim in. From that moment she held her breath when he leaned closer towards her and those deep lusty pools became bigger and bigger the same time her resistance was getting smaller and smaller. His warm breath seem to circle her lips and as their noses touch lightly they both felt electricity dancing beneath their skin in need and excitement. She didn't want to admit it but she did want him, more now she was close to seal the deal but like always her pride got the better of her as she pulled away from him with the knife still on her throat. He looked at her, almost puzzled then for a moment Buffy thought she saw a smirk crossing his features as if he knew and was going to give chase. But like a moment it was gone and the twinkle in his eyes were back.

"Not bad" Angel said "Needs a little practice especially on those punches, kinda sloppy"

"You baited me" Buffy growled.

"Yep just to see how good you were" Angel said as he pushed her away from him.

"You could have just asked" Buffy said.

"Had to see you in action with your emotions in the game" Angel said "Most fights are won through those pesky feelings"

"Really" Buffy growled.

"Really" Angel said.

"Thanks for the tip" Buffy seethed as she got up then ripped the axe of the tree and left, leaving Angel watching her in a bemused smirk.

* * *

Willow opened the door to Buffy's room then walked up to Buffy's cupboard when she heard some muffling sound and panting. Cupboard was converted into a training room for a slayer; Willow enchanted it so that there was more room to workout. Four gymnastic poles in a row, horse stall, gymnastic rings, a workout mat, a bull's-eye ring for archery and knife throwing and standard punch bag that was being beaten the crap out of it by a petite blonde that had a little drawing of someone very familiar on it.

"Angel giving you a hard time?" Willow smirked.

"Oh yeah, one real hard time" Buffy snarled delivering upper-cuts into the punch.

"Wow he really hit a nerve" Willow commented, Buffy was extremely pissed.

Buffy paused before she started her hell against the punch bag "I know that"

"So how did he annoy you?" Willow asked "Just for future reference since I don't wanna end up as a Buffy-punching-bag"

Buffy stopped and turned to her friend "He baited me into fighting him"

Willow blinked at her "He what?"

"He wanted to see how good I was so he baited me into fighting him" Buffy said.

"That's a little un-nerving" Willow commented "But then again where you're heading in a weeks time he might need to know if you can take care of yourself"

"I can take care of myself" Buffy said.

"Maybe on the lands of Chantrelle but in Aurelius? It's a different ball game Buffy" Willow said "There hasn't been any word from that place for years and it's not a nice place anyway"

"Where is the Land of Aurelius Will?" Buffy asked.

"In the East" Willow said.

"There has been word that something is going on" Buffy said.

"Do you know what?" Willow asked curiously.

"No my dad-" Buffy cut herself off "I just heard that something is going on"

"You must really get around since you're an outlander" Willow said.

"Why do you say that?" Buffy asked.

"Well only word about anything is sent directly to the King before the people" Willow said.

"Oh" Buffy said.

"What happened to your dad?" Willow asked.

"Nothing" Buffy said looking at Willow warily "Why you ask?"

"Oh cause you mentioned him and well you stopped, I thought there would be a problem with him" Willow babbled.

"There is, he expected me to do what he said and unlike Giles he barely was there for me" Buffy said.

"Oh" Willow said "I'm sure he loved you"

"Yeah he did, but he was too busy to take notice" Buffy said depressingly.

"Well what happened to the fight between you and Angel?" Willow asked.

"I kicked his ass…and he kicked mine" Buffy said "He's good, frighteningly good. He was sneaky too"

"Sneaky?"

"He pulled out a knife and I didn't even see it" Buffy said.

"Are you alright?" Willow asked, alarmed at that.

"Yeah, but I used a rake on him" Buffy said.

"You didn't hurt him, right?" Willow asked looking at Buffy like she was a madwoman.

"Barely hit him, he's annoyingly fast" Buffy grunted.

"Fast?" Willow asked.

"Yeah"

"Fast as you?"

"Yeah"

"But he can't be" Willow said

"Why?"

"Well dragon riders are human"

"And I'm not?"

"No, slayers have the essence of demons in them or at least that's what Dad says" Willow explained "You are human you just have the oomph to slay demons"

"So how come if I have this 'oomph' he is just as strong and fast as I am" Buffy said.

"Maybe being bonded with a dragon" Willow said with a shrug "But that can't be right, the bond wouldn't do anything only that they stay together until death. That's what the books and what the watchers written down in their journals say about them"

"I think dragon and riders are just suppose to be mystery" Buffy said "I mean do you know the weakness of a dragon?"

"No one knows, only a rider does" Willow said "So who won in your little fight?"

"Neither of us, I pinned him but he had the knife to stop me doing anything else" Buffy said "Cheater"

"And this is coming from the girl who used the rake on him" Willow pointed out.

"Hey who side are you on?" Buffy asked playfully.

"Yours but only when your nice" Willow said with a wink.

"Thanks Will" Buffy said.

Willow suddenly bit her lip in concern "Buffy I think you should know that when I saw you fight that big rocky Beast I was kinda afraid you would die. I was really scared when you fainted, so be careful when going to Aurelius okay, I don't think I could handle you dead"

"I will be Willow" Buffy said reassuringly.

"Well if anything does happen at least you'll be with a doctor" Willow said.

"Doctor?" Buffy asked, puzzled by that.

"Angel" Willow said.

"Angel's a doctor?" Buffy said.

"Well when you fainted he took care of your wounds and bruises" Willow explained "He put all kinds of herbs and stuff and took care of you. He didn't leave until he was happy with the result and even then he made sure one of us keep an eye on you every hour. He maybe a jerk Buffy but he's nice jerk"

"Oh great now you made me feel bad" Buffy moaned.

"Guess your have to say thanks then" Willow said.

* * *

It had taken another two days for Buffy to pluck the courage to thank Angel. Pride and embarrassment was the main factors why it had taken her that long but Willow always a persuasive girl to come across so she gave in. But every time she to go up to him he was busy, another reason why her thanks was late. Now, though, spotting him outside doing something it was time. So she walked from her room, through the closing restaurant, through the kitchens and as soon as Buffy stepped out of the Inn she heard it. Big Red had returned and was doing when she first heard it. Singing beautifully across the land. And as Buffy look over to the edge of the forest she the Dragon Rider sitting down on a log, singing as he craved something from wood. Buffy walked over to him, her nerves on the edge as the gap between them became smaller and smaller with each step she took.

"_My young love said to me  
My mother won't mind  
And my father won't slight you for your lack of kind  
And she step away from me and this she did say  
It will not be long love till our wedding day"  
_

She heard the him sing and she smiled. He wasn't such a bad singer.

"_She step away from me  
And she went through the fair"  
_

He stopped at that moment then looked at her.

"Why did you stop?" Buffy asked.

"You're here" Angel said, then went back to his carving.

"You embarrassed about your singing?" Buffy asked, a little confused and annoyed.

"It's not as good as my sister's but I'm not embarrassed" Angel said "I just don't sing around company"

"Why?" Buffy asked.

"I just don't" Angel said, he blew pieces of wood away from his little wooden model before looking at her "And what is it that graces me with your presence Buff?"

"I wanted to say thank you" Buffy said.

"For what?" Angel asked.

"For tending to me after 'the fight' and that you did a good job" Buffy said.

Angel was quiet for a moment, looking at her as if she was easy to read like a book "Your welcome" then went back to his carving.

"What are you making?" Buffy asked after a moments silence except for the noise the knife made against the wood.

"I'm carving" Angel said.

"Carving what?" Buffy asked, a little frustrated he wasn't letting up.

"My sister" he said quietly but quiet enough for Buffy not to detect a sad note in his voice.

"Can I see?" She asked gently.

"It's not finished" Angel grumbled as he handed it her slowly to her outstretched hand.

Buffy looked at it and couldn't help but gasp in adoration. She looked at him and then back at the wooden figure. It was carved in such love and care that knew that if she ran finger across it she wouldn't get a splinter and the face. That beautiful smiling face, it was so like that some part her thought that the figure might come to life. She could see the similarities of the beautiful girl to Angel. She felt she could become best friends with this girl the way she looked, it was probably hard not to.

"What's her name?" Buff asked.

"Kathy" Angel said then sighed as he gently took the figure from her hands.

"Did something happen to her?" Buffy asked worriedly.

Angel was silent confirming Buffy's dread. _Poor Angel._

"I'm so sorry Angel" Buffy said.

He chuckled sadly "That's what she used to call me" Angel said "She called me her guardian angel since I always protected her, not much of a guardian angel if she's…" he trailed off.

"It wasn't your fault" Buffy said.

"Wasn't it?" Angel said he looked at that figure, like he was begging fro her forgiveness "I was her big brother, I'm suppose to protect her. It's what big brothers do"

Going before her better judgement she asked "What happen?"

He swallowed "My father and I was arguing. He wanted me to marry Lady Darla, a woman who was rich enough to buy three brothels and it's tenants, she was a woman that could spread her legs faster than you could say 'whore'" making Buffy cringe in sympathy "Anyway I said a few things and my father said a few things and I left house to get some fresh air when I came back…I don't think I have seen so much blood in my life. Dragons and Riders dead. Everyone in the Town dead. Including my family" he looked at her "There wasn't enough places to bury them all in the graveyard and my dragon had to burn the rest of them. I don't think she'll get over that"

"You say it like she's a-"

"Being?" Angel said "She is. She has a mind of her own, pain in the ass at times but always good company"

"Do you have conversations Dolittle?" Buffy joked.

"Not in the same way I would talk to you" Angel smirked making Buffy shocked.

"You…you do?" Buffy said.

Angel smirk grew into an affectionate smile "How do you think Rider and Dragon get on so well?"

"I thought you guys have like a man and dog relationship" Buffy said "You know you give out command and the dragon does what you say"

"That only happens when I'm on the saddle when I'm off it's a complete different ball game" Angel said "Dragon would go off to hunt or just for a walk, she likes to stretch her legs"

"Big Red likes walks, let me guess after a candlelight dinner?" Buffy grinned as she sat down next to him.

"Funny" Angel said sarcastically then grinned "And oddly true, she always walks after a big meal. It's a dragon thing"

"You two must be quite a team" Buffy said.

"Only when need be" Angel said.

"So, if your name isn't Angel, what is it?" Buffy asked with her head tilted inquisitively in a playful manner.

Angel looked at her for a moment before he shifted closer to her and whispered in her ear "I'll tell you mine" he breathed in her scent "If you tell me yours"

Buffy froze before she looked back at Angel, shock evident on her face.

"How did you…"

"It takes two weeks to travel to Rosenberg from Moonlight city on horseback and what dear Mr Parker said about your appearance in Rosenberg and the disappearance of the Princess" Angel said "It doesn't take a genius to figure that one out but then again no one here put two and two together and no one has my nose" he takes a sniff "Jasmine, Lilies and royalty, that little extra I couldn't figure out until our little fight, when you were sweating; it helped a lot"

"Please don't tell anyone" Buffy begged.

"I won't" he said casually.

"You kidding me" Buffy said

"No" Angel said

"Just like that, you won't" Buffy said sceptically.

"Well they are giving out a thousand pieces of gold if someone finds you and turns you in safely" Angel said as he carried on carving "But I don't have any use for that money, so no"

"Why not?" Buffy asked.

"Dragon scales, blood and teeth are worth more then that" Angel explained "Powerful ingredients for spells, really powerful spells. One of which I used to heal you"

"But slayers-"

"Heal fast I know, but when the Beast wounds you it…kinda stays that way" Angel said "You lost a lot of blood, that's the reason why you fainted"

"I didn't even know I was bleeding" Buffy said "Must have been the adrenaline"

"Fighting does have that perk about it" Angel said "So…other than leaving the castle not to get married, I'm assuming there's another reason to this"

"Your never going to let that go are you?" Buffy groaned

"Highly unlikely" Angel said truthfully.

"Well-"

"ANGEL, BUFFY!" Willow shouted as she ran to the pair.

"What is it?" Buffy said as she stood up instantly with Angel beside her.

"The soldiers, they're here" Willow said

TBC…

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**Soooooooooooooooooo sorry about the lack of the update, I swear I'll be good from now on.**

**Anyway reviews are nice, very nice so please give them to me.**

**Lyrics: I don't know what the song is called so whoever owns them don't sue and well if anyone who happens to know Irish folk songs can you please tell me. I really like to know.**

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	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: What? You want me to make a sing and dance about it? Don't own them!**

**Distribution: oh what the hell, take it but ask first!

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Buffy froze before she looked back at Angel, shock evident on her face.

"How did you…"

"It takes two weeks to travel to Rosenberg from Moonlight city on horseback and what dear Mr Parker said about your appearance in Rosenberg and the disappearance of the Princess" Angel said "It doesn't take a genius to figure that one out but then again no one here put two and two together and no one has my nose" he takes a sniff "Jasmine, Lilies and royalty, that little extra I couldn't figure out until our little fight, when you were sweating; it helped a lot"

"Please don't tell anyone" Buffy begged.

"I won't" he said casually.

"You kidding me" Buffy said

"No" Angel said

"Just like that, you won't" Buffy said sceptically.

"Well they are giving out a thousand pieces of gold if someone finds you and turns you in safely" Angel said as he carried on carving "But I don't have any use for that money, so no"

"Why not?" Buffy asked.

"Dragon scales, blood and teeth are worth more then that" Angel explained "Powerful ingredients for spells, really powerful spells. One of which I used to heal you"

"But slayers-"

"Heal fast I know, but when the Beast wounds you it…kinda stays that way" Angel said "You lost a lot of blood, that's the reason why you fainted"

"I didn't even know I was bleeding" Buffy said "Must have been the adrenaline"

"Fighting does have that perk about it" Angel said "So…other than leaving the castle not to get married, I'm assuming there's another reason to this"

"You're never going to let that go are you?" Buffy groaned

"Highly unlikely" Angel said truthfully.

"Well-"

"ANGEL, BUFFY!" Willow shouted as she ran to the pair.

"What is it?" Buffy said as she stood up instantly with Angel beside her.

"The soldiers, they're here" Willow said

They ran around the Inn to see well-groomed soldiers in spotless uniforms, the royal guards.

"Search all houses, stables, gardens, in the woods!" A voice shouted "Leave nothing unturned"

"You've got to get me out of here now!" Buffy hissed at Angel, but he was gone she looked around and could not find him "Jerk!"

"Right!" boomed a voice in the town square "I want all the women in the this Village to get in line"

"Why?" someone asked.

"There has been word that Princess Elizabeth has been spotted around this area" the same voice said.

"C'mon" Willow said grabbing Buffy and dragging her into the square.

"No, Willow I can't" Buffy pleaded.

"If you don't come you're going to be in so much trouble" Willow said.

"I _really _can't!" Buffy trying to stop her.

"But we must" Willow persisted.

"_I_ mustn't" Buffy said

Willow turned to look at Buffy like she was nuts and then something clicked in her head "Oh my-" she clasped her hand around her mouth to stop herself from screaming out Buffy's secret then said quietly "You're _her_"

"Yeah" Buffy whispered.

Willow looked at Buffy concerned before she said "If we're quick we can-"

"C'mon" a soldier said from behind and pushed them into the square.

Under no circumstances would she go back to the castle and marry especially that there was a demon problem, so Buffy reacted the only way a slayer would do. She spun around smacked a punch into his jaw, letting him fall to the ground unconscious. Unfortunately for Buffy some of the soldiers had seen her hitting him.

"Oh crap" Buffy muttered under her breath.

The first soldier came as he wields back his club to strike her. He swings at Buffy, but she sidesteps him and grabs his arm as he bends over from his follow-through. Buffy slams her other forearm down on the soldier's, breaking it. He falls to the floor in pain. She picks up his club and swings it at the second soldier that ran towards her, striking him in the head. She swings again the opposite way at a third soldier, hitting him in the gut. They both fall unconscious. More soldiers came and one tries a backhand swing at her with his club, but she ducks and blocks his second swing. The soldier kicks up with his knee and gets Buffy in the stomach, stunning her. He punches her, making her fall to the floor. He takes a swing at Buffy's head, but she clamps her hands around the club's handle and yanks him up and over her. He slams down hard onto his shoulder and rolls away from her. Still holding his club she quickly gets to her feet.

"Dad would be proud of you" Willow said, a little shock at how fast she took them down.

"He should give me a cookie after this" Buffy chirped as she dose a roundhouse kick on another soldier, then spots two other soldiers who saw this and leave their post to approach her.

Buffy continues to fight the soldier. She quickly hits him in the head with a full spinning out-to-in crescent kick. He takes the blow hard and falls to the ground two metres away. Still another soldier takes a swing at Buffy's legs with his club, but she jumps high to avoid the swing. Buffy swings her club into the guard's face, knocking him down. As he tries to get up, Buffy knocks him down again with a snapping roundhouse kick to his arm, kicking his club away in the process. The soldier gets to his feet. Buffy swings her club in an uppercut, striking him in the jaw and sending him flying in a back flip. Yet another soldier runs up to her and tackles Buffy, struggling to get the club out of her hands but she knees him in the gut and pushes him away. Undeterred the soldier tries to pound Buffy's head with his club, but she holds her club high, blocking his attack and making him drop his weapon. Buffy swings down with her hands, carrying the guard's hands as well. She grabs him by the neck, spins around once and throws him through the air. He hits a wooden beam of a stable and slumps to the ground. The guard with the battle-axe is up on the platform now and takes a wide swing with it at Buffy, but she leans aside and he misses

Buffy manages to duck the guard's next swing, avoiding decapitation. He swings again from above, but she blocks his attack with her club, and the head of the axe embeds itself in the handle. Buffy performs a front snap kick that dislodges the axe and knocks the weapon out of the soldier's hands and spinning up into the air. She kneels down and knocks his legs out from under him with her club. While she crouched, she looks up at the battle-axe as it falls and catches the airborne weapon. She gets to her feet, as does her assailant. Buffy does another roundhouse kick to his face, and he goes flying off, smacking into a wooden pole. Buffy as she looks around, temporarily without an opponent and finds that Willow had disappeared.

"Willow?" Buffy said.

Suddenly a guard runs up. Buffy swings a backhand punch at his head, but he blocks it and shoves her arm out of the way. He punches her with a backhand fist. She stumbles a little but recovers in time to duck his second swing at her head. She does a sidekick to his rear that sends him off into a house. She then runs and then propels herself onto a nearby stables roof. Two soldiers try to climb onto the roof. Buffy then crouches and quickly throws her club-spinning end over end at one of them. It smacks right against a soldier's head, and the power behind her throw sends him falling off the roof. The other soldier meanwhile gets on the roof and then tries a wide swing, but Buffy blocks it, grabs onto his arm and sends him somersaulting through the air and off the roof. Another soldier attacks. Buffy smashes her elbow into his nose and follows it up with a full spin and a backhand punch to the head. He falls down awkwardly. Another one climbs up and catches Buffy unaware with a high punch to her face. She stumbles backwards but does not fall. Two more soldiers join him and try to surround her. Buffy snap kicks one in the face and side kicks another. Buffy does a full spinning hook kick to the third, smacking him soundly in the skull. While this was going on the villagers were watching. If they thought her fight against the Beast was good this was brilliant.

"Oh c'mon I'm not even trying!" Buffy taunted.

One of the soldiers punches Buffy hard in the face, and she staggers. He grabs her by the neck while she is trying to regain her balance and jerks her head up hard and fast. He holds her while two other guards punch her in the stomach. As the soldiers keep on punching Buffy, her anger began to rise and then…she snapped.

_Note to self: keep mouth shut._

With one powerful push, the soldiers were thrown in different directions, some off the roof others barely stayed on. The soldiers try to get back her again but she swings an arm out, backhand punching two of them and high punching the third, knocking him down. She swings her arm out in a wide arc and hits the first two with the one blow, knocking them down as well. A fourth soldier roundhouse kicks her in the stomach, and she steps back to regain her balance. He latches onto her arm and tries to throw her, but Buffy reverses the move and manages to throw him off the roof instead. A soldier dives headfirst for Buffy's legs. She leaps up and pulls her legs up into a tuck jump over him. He dives right underneath her. Buffy runs and jumps off the roof, grabbing a wooden pole. It bends under her weight, and she rides it down to the floor below it then snaps as soon as her feet hit the ground. Another wave of soldiers came.

"Give a girl a break!" Buffy exasperated.

She was then reminded of guards on the roof when then jumped, knocking the wind out of her when then landed on top of her and she was definitely not happy about that. Not because they were on her, she was annoyed on that part, but because she had an imagery of Angel cocky swagger going through her head.

"_C'mon Buff, don't try and get frisky with the soldiers, are you really trying to fight or are you trying to break my heart?"_

She could hear him say now. Well, she couldn't help it; Angel had a way to into her head.

"_I'd break your neck" _Buffy muttered through her head.

"_Temper temper, you should really keep an eye on that" _

"Asshole!" Buffy grunted

On that point, it infuriated her. How dare her 'mind Angel' talk to her like that! It reminded her way too much of Angel and well this was her mind talking to her…right?

With the wind knocked out of her she was easily dazed, giving an opportunity for the soldiers to grab her. She was dragged all the way to a particular lightning blonde Captain, or more along the lines of Lord.

"Sir this one here had fought us" one of the men said.

"And it was fun" Buffy smirked.

"I never knew you had fire in you Princess Elizabeth" the Captain said as he turned around to face her.

There was an audible gasp in the village.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me William" Buffy spat.

"I'm willing to learn" Lord William smiled then looked at one of the "Chain her and put her in the carriage"

"Are those the chains you use for your mistress" Buffy snipped.

"And a gag for that sweet mouth of hers" Lord William said.

"And I think she'd prefer to be chainless and gagless" a familiar voice said

Buffy looked over to see Angel leaning against a stable pole she had knocked so many soldiers into. She didn't know if she should be relieved or blistering mad at him for leaving her. However, right now she was wondering why he was there and not doing anything to help her.

"Who the bloody hell are you?" Lord William shouted.

"I really don't know" Angel said "I'm called quite a lot of things, asshole, jerk the usual"

"Your name sir" Lord William said boredly.

"Why?" Angel said playfully.

"So I know what to put on your gravestone" Lord William said.

"Lets not go into violence" Angel smirked.

"Well I kinda like to, hadn't had a decent spot of violence in a long time and since your talking to me like I'm idiot-"

"Well you are" Angel interrupted him.

"Do you know who you are talking to?" Lord William growled.

"William the Bloody" Angel said nonchalantly "Heard all about you. Your brother wasn't kidding on the bravado. Do you always have your hair like that? Curls? Kinda makes you look girley"

Buffy involuntarily snorted at that. Lord William stopped himself from hitting Buffy and forced himself to look at Angel.

"Kill him" Lord William said.

"I wouldn't do that boys" Angel said to the guards, his eyes flashed silver stopping in there tracks making sure they didn't know if they should listen or not.

"And why the bloody hell not?" Lord William said briskly, who didn't see the silver in his eyes.

"Well she wouldn't like that" Angel said.

"The princess would have to get over that on our wedding night" Lord William smirked.

"Who says I was talking about the princess?" Angel said.

Lord William looked confused, the soldiers looked confused, the villagers looked confused, even Buffy looked confused. Angel grin turned almost looked as if he was the cat that ate the canary. Angel's right eyebrow was raised up and ever so slowly he looked up and then back at Lord William. Lord William frown deepened in more confusion then he looked up and gasped. Everyone followed the suit and either gasped or there jaws were hitting the floor but Buffy grinned. The a gust of wind blasted over the village as the villagers ran for cover as something hit the ground.

"Lord William, I like you to meet Big Red" Angel said as he casually walk around the Dragon.

The soldiers began to unsheathe their swords but were stopped when Big Red opened her mouth to reveal big, sharp, white teeth that would have made a Great White Shark jealous and snarled at them.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you boys" Angel said leaning against the dragon's leg "She kind of has a problem with you threatening her with sharp pointy objects"

The soldiers looked over to Lord William and then back at him and then the dragon. Big Red narrowed her eyes at them and growling at them, revealing more teeth

"Do you honestly want to test her? Cause frankly she dose what she wants and if she sees those lovely swords of yours she will take action" Angel warned "Throw your toys away or she'll burn you to a crisp" to prove his point Big Red snorted smoke and sparks through her nose.

The soldiers did as they were told, they didn't what to be burnt alive by a dragon. Big Red closed her mouth but her snarl was still there to scare them off.

"Let the Princess go" Angel said.

The soldiers who were holding Buffy let her go. Buffy walked up to Angel unafraid.

"We are so going to have words" Buffy said when she was right in front of Angel.

"Get your stuff Princess" Angel grinned.

Buffy shook her head at him and went into the Inn.

* * *

Willow watched Buffy back away her stuff in a duffle bag.

"I really thought we'd have more time to see you off" Willow said

"I know Will" Buffy said.

"The whole time I thought you were an outlander and you were the Princess" Willow said.

"I'm sorry" Buffy said "I really wanted to tell you, but I was afraid that you'd tell someone"

"That's okay, I've got some major secrets I keep from everyone" Willow said, she looked sadly at Buffy and bit her lip worriedly "Will I ever see you again?"

"You could come with me" Buffy said when she finished packing then turned to face.

Willow looked sadly at her "I can't"

"Why not?" Buffy asked.

"I'm needed here" Willow said "Father needs me to be you and his connection"

"What?"

"Buffy, you are a slayer and he is your watcher. He's the brain and you're the brawn, no offence" Willow said "If you get into trouble your going to need help"

"How can you help me if I'm going to be thousands of miles away?" Buffy asked.

Willow silently removed something from her pocket and gave it to Buffy. It was a beautiful bracelet with a weird shape diamond on it.

"This is our link, wear it when you need father's help and rub the jewel till you hear me" Willow said "I've got the other half" she jingled her half of the bracelet in front of Buffy.

"But wouldn't Giles have to wear it if I need to talk to him?" Buffy asked.

"Dad isn't a magical being, nor dose he have the slayer's power" Willow said "Mum isn't strong enough so I'll have to do but do me a favour"

"Anything" Buffy said

"Talk to me when you can, I'm going to miss you very much" Willow said and hugs her tightly.

"Promise" Buffy said then let goes of Willow, picks up her bag and turns to go.

"Buffy?" Willow said, she could never say Princess or Elizabeth because to her Buffy will always be Buffy.

"Yeah Will?" Buffy turned around to face her friend.

"You forgot something" Willow said picking up the Slayer Handbook.

"You're just as bad as your dad" Buffy growled playfully.

* * *

As soon as her bag was strapped onto Big Red's saddle next to Angel's (she was going to ask him about that), Buffy climbed after Angel had climbed onto Big Red she looked over to Giles and Jenny and smiled. Buffy couldn't hug Giles, Jenny, Willow or Tara goodbye in-case Lord William thought they use them as a bargaining tool. However, she knew if there was a problem she could always call them through the bracelet. Giles looked almost smug and surprised at the same time. He had been right about the slayer duty would be passed down to the Princess of Chantrelle but he had been shocked that he had been housing her right under his nose and given her jobs too. Jobs that were no doubt fit for a lady of her status but if Giles learnt anything Buffy preferred doing manual labour than giving out orders, well fifty/fifty really. Buffy wanted to laugh at the situation but it was serious so she kept her silence. She settled herself on the saddle and awkwardly wrapped her arms around Angel's waist.

"I guess the rumours were right" she caught someone saying "She did run away with a man"

In a couple of flaps and a fast sprint Big Red was in the air. The night air was cool and clear as the moon shone upon them, making the dragon look like she was glowing from the moon's rays. Still they soared higher and higher until they were flying through the clouds.

"You alright?" Angel asked over his shoulder.

"Peachy" Buffy lied.

"If you're peachy can you loosen that grip of yours, I kinda like to breathe here" Angel said.

She knew if she let go she was going to fall off so her grip on Angel was enough to mould her fingers in metal. Flying was not her strong suit considering the only thing to grip on was him and what he was gripping onto was the saddle. The take off was fast and easy but Buffy never thought Big Red can shoot into a sky like _that! _It took all of Buffy's will not scream in shock.

"So you could throw me off? I don't think so buddy!" Buffy said.

"I thought you just wanted to get a little closer" Angel deviously said.

"In your dreams" Buffy said

Fields of farmland opened up below them as herds of farm animals scattered before them while Big Red flew across the sky. Beating her wings lazily despite the speed they flying at. Buffy held Angel even closer, he was so warm and the wind blasting across them was really cold and as much as she hate to admit it, his body felt so good to hold onto.

"Keep on saying that Buff" Angel said.

"Whatever" Buffy said.

"On second thought Buff I suggest you hold on" Angel said suddenly.

"Why?" Buffy asked nervously.

"She needs a drink" Angel said and then Big Red did a dive towards the lake.

Mouth opened Big Red swooped down, took a mouthful of water and shot back into the air again as she swallowed it down. She did this five times and each time helped Buffy was getting use to it until it felt like a roller coaster ride. Then they were back into the sky, soaring through the clouds again.

"I thought you said you have control over her on the saddle" Buffy said.

"Giving her directions for her to follow when we're flying but if she sees an opportunity she will take it" Angel explained.

"Oh" Buffy said.

"I mean when I say I have no control over her" Angel said "She has her own mind, but she is nice to tell me before she dose anything"

"How do you know?" Buffy asked "I didn't hear her say or growled or do anything"

"Maybe if you're a good girl, I'll tell you" Angel smirked

"Spoil sport" Buffy said, knowing damn well she wasn't going to be a good girl.

After a while in the air Buffy began to shiver, she maybe the slayer but she was still human and the heat she was burrowing off Angel wasn't enough to keep her warm. Even her winter wear wasn't doing the trick. As if sensing this the dragon tilted downwards and slowly they glided down towards the entrance of a forest.

"Why are we going down?" Buffy asked.

"We two days far away from Lord William if he rides by horse" Angel said "And you're cold"

"No I'm not" Buffy said, her pride getting the best of her.

"We're landing anyway" Angel said, not believing a word she was saying.

When they neared the soft ground Big Red tilted upwards and let gravity do the rest as she landed. When Big Red folded her wings back Buffy silently climbed off and looked really relieved to get off her. As soon as Angel jumped off the dragon he went to work, he went around the area and collected twelve stones and placed them in a circle. Big Red stretched her neck easily, broke off a dead branch and began to snap it effortlessly with her mouth and claws. Angel grabbed the smaller pieces and placed them in the stone circle.

"Is this some kind of Dragon Rider and Dragon ritual?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, it's called making-a-fire-to-keep-Buffy-warm ritual" Angel said.

"At that point you are abusing sarcasm" Buffy said.

However, as much as she detest the thought of agreeing with him, he was right. It was autumn and winter was approaching them rapidly.

"Rúlbín" Angel simply said, almost command like.

Big Red made a small o-shape with her mouth and small stream of fire hit the wood. Setting it into a blazing, welcoming warmth. The dragon looked proudly at the fire she made and gave off a snort of delight.

"Is that her real name?" Buff asked.

"Yes" Angel said as he grabbed two blankets out a bag from Big Red's saddle and threw one to Buffy.

"It's odd" Buffy said after she caught her blanket.

The dragon shot her a look that was unmistakably had murder in mind.

"But pretty" Buffy amended quickly.

Rúlbín looked at her for a moment before accepting it, stretched her body to lie down, laid her head on her front claws whilst she closed her eyes and soon fell soundlessly asleep, apart from a little purring and growl here and there. Angel walked around the fire and lay down on the other side of the flames opposite to Rúlbín.

"I'd watch that tongue of yours Buff, dragons are proud creatures" Angel warned softly while he pulled his blanket around him "Rúlbín is _no _exception"

"Would she eat me?" Buffy worried.

"Nah, might give you a nasty bite though" Angel said .

Despite her pride protesting Buffy quietly laid down next Angel and wrapped her blanket around herself. She didn't quite feel she could trust the dragon. Yet.

"Angel?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah?" he grumbled.

"Why do you call her Big Red?" Buffy asked.

"It's a nickname" Angel said.

"Angel?" Buffy asked.

"Yes Buffy?" Angel said.

"Why did you leave me at the village?" Buffy asked, looking down at the corners of her blanket as she fiddled with them.

"I needed to get Rúlbín" Angel said "Otherwise, you would have been caught and I'd have to watch them take you away"

"Not if you helped me" Buffy pointed out.

"Buffy, my kind is not exactly aloud to be here" Angel reminded her "If I revealed myself, by myself, they would have tried to execute me and if that happened Rúlbín would go insane"

"I thought you were tough" Buffy said.

"I am but taking down a whole fleet of soldiers? I would eventually succumb to the numbers" Angel pointed out "Just like you did"

"You saw that?" Buffy said.

"Right around the end, I was kind of impress" Angel said "But you've got to pay attention to you surroundings"

"I was" she said "Just got distracted"

Angel just chuckled in amusement.

"Why would Rúlbín go insane if you die?" Buffy asked, remembering the earlier part of their conversation.

"Oh go to sleep Buffy" Angel moaned

"And that's another thing, why do you call me Buffy when you know it's not my name" Buffy said.

"Why do you call me Angel when you know it's not my name" Angel shot back.

"Or you persona" Buffy added cheekily.

Angel looked at her and smirked.

"What?" Buffy asked.

He continuously smirks and looks up at the stars

"What?" Buffy persisted.

But he didn't say anything.

"Urgh!" Buffy groan and rolled onto her back to sleep.

* * *

**I'm all evil for not updating. Reason? Well try doing three A-level, plus two instruments at grade 6 and try to make time to write these masterpieces called 'chapters'! Oh I might need some idea's on this story's journey so if you have them send them in. Anyway review!**


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